Wageningen University (WU) is a leading university in Life Sciences focusing on agricultural and environmental education and research and is, according to the NTU Agriculture Ranking 2013, ranked the number one university in agricultural sciences in the world. WU is part of the Wageningen University and Research Centre (WUR), comprising several strategic research institutions focusing on applied research. WU is, amongst others, partner in the Partnership for European Environmental Research (PEER), the Global Soil Partnership (GSP), the World Water Council (WWC), the Global Water Partnership (GWP), and Climate Change and Biosphere (CCB).

The Soil Physics and Land Management (SLM) Group of Wageningen University focuses on: i) flow and transport processes in soil systems and surrounding water bodies, ii) interactions between soil, water and plants, and iii) land use and management with regard to ecosystem degradation, and the design and economic impact assessment of technologies for soil and water conservation and restoration. The SLM group has long-term experience in areas affected by different forms of soil and water degradation in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and in Europe. SLM coordinated and participated in a range of EU-funded projects focusing on soil, water and agricultural land management related topics, including EROAHI, WEELS, WAHIA, AWACAD, OLIVERO, DESIRE, WAHARA, CASCADE and RECARE.

The Soil Biology and Biological Soil Quality (SOQ) group of Wageningen University focuses on: 1) fertile soils, 2) soil biodiversity and ecosystem services, and 3) soils in a changing climate. The SOQ group has long-term experience on biological aspects of soil quality related to soil organic matter dynamics, rhizosphere processes determining bio-availability of plant nutrition, functional trait diversity of plant roots and rhizosphere biota, and the greenhouse gas balance of soil. The SOQ group has ample experience with degraded soils in terms of soil structure, soil organic matter and nutrient balances in Africa, Latin America, China and Europe. SOQ currently coordinates an international consortium on Amazonian Dark Earths with several research institutes participating in Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia and Peru, and has long-standing collaboration on the benefits of intercropping for soil organic matter enhancement with partners in China and participates in the EU-funded project ECOFINDERS.